Bears’ CB Tyrique Stevenson Demoted Following Bonehead Behavior On Hail Mary Play

Tyrique Stevenson will not start for the Chicago Bears on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. The cornerback was demoted following his behavior during the final play of the Bears’ Week 8 game against the Washington Commanders.

The Commanders beat Chicago on a Hail Mary touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels on the final play of the game. In a wild sequence of events, Stevenson went up for a jump ball and tipped the football directly into the arms of Commanders receiver Noah Brown, who was standing in the end zone. 

But that’s after cameras caught Stevenson prematurely taunting the crowd at Northwest Stadium while the play was in progress.

That evening, Stevenson apologized publicly via social media.

“To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus,” he wrote on X. “The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen.”

READ: DJ Moore Says Bears Captains Will ‘Address’ Tyrique Stevenson’s Behavior On Hail Mary Play

He later took accountability with his teammates.

“I know I let them down and those guys hold me to a higher standard such as everybody in this building,” Stevenson told reporters. “I let the moment get too big, and it’s something that can never happen again.”

Tyrique Stevenson was demoted for the Bears’ Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Stevenson has started 21 of 22 possible games since Chicago selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Stevenson is only being demoted for one game. He will be active, though, and is expected to rotate in with fellow second-year cornerback Terell Smith.